Silver Bullets Soccer

This little dude was so excited for the opportunity to participate in soccer again this Spring. Last year we signed him up with Sporting Tykes through the YMCA and it quickly became apparent that he loved the game. We knew this Spring we wanted him to be involved in a more "competitive" league so we chose Kansas Rush Soccer Club. The teams consist of six same age players. Dawson was fortunate to play with three other Meadow Lane Kindergartners as well as two boys from other area elementary schools. 

The red streaks under his eyes are NOT the latest in soccer accessory/fashion.

They're signs of the poor kid suffering terribly from allergies :( 

Dawson plays a mean game of defense but put the ball near him and he gives it his all! He is a hustler and has a fierce determination to win. He scored multiple goals within the season scoring two in his final game. 

Dawson, Brady, Caleb and Christiano

Missing from photo - Noah and Peyton

Meet team Silver Bullets {Christiano missing}. 

Quite possibly the cutest group of six year old boys in the JoCo area. These boys praticed and played with passion. They became fast friends and had a blast together! The coaches and parents are already in talks of getting them together over the summer for a BBQ and possible participation in a summer soccer camp. We are also in high hopes of playing together as a team again this Fall. 

My Special Mom - A Mother's Day tribute by Dawson

My mother is the most wonderful Mom in the world.
She is as pretty as roses.
She weighs 30 lbs and is 1 foot tall.
Her favorite food is pancakes.
In the old days, when my mother was little, she used to do what normal babies do.
I think Mom looks funny when she changes my sister's diaper.
Please note she is fully potty trained and diaper changes are so last year :)
My mother is happy when we clean.
^^^ AMEN! ^^^
I wish Mom would snuggle with me everyday.
I wouldn't trade my mother for a piece of junk.
I'm so glad to know I'm valued more than a piece of junk. Rolling in laughter!


Top Five Reasons Why I love My Mom

1. My Mom gives me hugs and kisses
2. I love my Mom
3. My Mom loves me
4. I love my family
5. My Dad is awesome 

{I'm not so sure how #5 describes the top five reasons why he loves ME, but we will roll with it}

- My Mom -
My Mom is good.
She likes to give me hugs and kisses.
She always cleans.
Sometimes she takes me to the pool.
But the best thing about my Mom is she gives me hugs and kisses.

Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Dawson

These.
Keepers for sure!
I want to remember these sweet, yet hilarious "love notes" from my Boo.
I adore that his primary love language is so apparent in his answers given above. He is my little lover and professional snuggler. I often joke that he needs to stop making out with me or his Daddy will get jealous :) Secretly I hope his affections don't wane in the years to come. I love his genuine hugs and sweet kisses. I love when he crawls in bed with me and isn't satisfied until his arm is underneath my back and his head rested on my chest. I love that he never fails to profess his love for me when I tuck him in even when he is sour at me (or me with him). I love this boy of mine and where he fits in our family. He is rough & rowdy but soft & sappy at the same time and oh so cute! Man alive is he cute!

Embrace the Camera: May 1, 2014

Gabrielle and Dawson with their GG

Easter 2014

Pontoon ride on Lake Lotawana

iPhone 5S

Embrace the Camera: June 17, 2014

 I both give and receive worship through song. 

The song that has currently been speaking to my heart is "Let Them See You by JJ Weeks". 

Let them see You in me

Let them hear You when I speak

Let them feel You when I sing

Let them see You 

Just let them see You in me

Who am I without Your grace?

Another smile, another face

Another breath, a grain of sand

Passing quickly through Your hand

I give my life, an offering

Take it all, take everything

Let them see You in me

Let them hear You when I speak

Let them feel You when I sing

Let them see You

Just let them see You in me

This is my prayer.

I am imperfect. 

He is perfect.

His grace is sufficient for me; His power is made perfect in my weakness. 

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9

Let them {my husband, my children, my neighbors and friends ... all those I encounter} see Him in me.

Gabs, Boo and Little Miss,

Mommy has many shortcomings. I'm impatient. I'm quick to raise my voice. I often rush bedtime skipping stories and prayers. I say "no" a lot. Although I am all these things and I'm sure you could/would add more I thank God that he has entrusted you to me. You are each amazing and bright and beautiful beyond words! I know I have done something right in parenting you while on this earth because you know and love the Lord. My heart's desire is that you learn to know Him more through me - through my actions, words, expressions of love to you and those around us.  I am imperfect, but I am a work in progress seeking His hand in parenting you for you are His. A gift to us. The best gifts!

I love you to the moon and back, to the highest mountain, to the deepest and widest ocean, to infinity. 

{Dawson says this each time he says his goodbyes}

Embrace the Camera: April 3, 2014

I snuck away with this handsome young man last Thursday for a mommy/son date. 

{I'm so glad I did because I've been super sick ever since.}

 This little man of mine shares my love language of physical touch. 

He is a master snuggler, kiss giver and is never shy of sharing his love for me verbally. 

He's a keeper! 

Boo, 

Thank-you for being the best sister sandwich handsome brother in the middle!

Muah!

Mommy

Embrace The Camera: March 2014

It's been too long since I've been intentional about getting IN the picture with my littles. I resolve to make a better effort of doing so this year.

Little Miss momma assisting in bottle feeding Makayla {and hamming it up for the camera}. 

My sweet babes on Valentine's day.

Life is a beautiful mess with these three but is full of love because of them!

I soaked in every.last.second of this cuddle season with my baby girl. I wasn't ready to let her go when she let loose. She's growing leaps and bounds right in front of our eyes and is no longer our tiny little love. She still asks us to "Hold you me" on a regular basis and insists on her nightly cuddle seasons with her Daddy which melts us both. Thank-you Ms. G for confiscating mommy's phone to take this picture :)

I-Click

It's seems like months have passed since I last visited the blog when in fact it has been several loooong weeks. Rather than one long exhaustive post I will provide a brief update in the form of life captured through the lens of my iPhone.

The entire 3rd grade class at Meadow Lane participated in a wax museum in late January. Each student chose a famous person {past or present} and did extensive research on their lives. They then wrote a narrative which they presented to fellow students, staff and parents at the wax museum. Gabrielle choose Carrie Underwood and thoroughly enjoyed learning the little details of her life as well as dressing the part :)

I'm sporting specs again. I began wearing glasses in the 2nd grade and graduated to contacts in the 7th grade. I despised wearing glasses in my early adult life. Picture Coke bottle lenses - not.even.lying! Fast forward to late 1999 when I met Travis and that sweet man paid $4100 cold hard cash to have LASIK surgery performed on my eyes (before we were engaged or married holla!). My specialist suggested at my recent visit that I wear glasses driving at night and/or reading to improve the clouded vision resulting from my vitreous detachment that I shared about here. What a difference they make! I went cheap and a little on the trendy side in choosing my frames.

This is a glimpse into our playroom on any given day we entertain "extra" kiddos in our home. I would absolutely be a fraud if I didn't say that just looking at this picture gives me the jitters BUT I will gladly take the messes when it means my kiddos are living it up with their friends enjoying free imaginative play. You have to look really close but McKenna and Buggie (Ellaina) are hiding under the table.

For the <3 class="goog-spellcheck-word" of="" span="" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Legos
. Dawson loves Legos. I love that D loves Legos. Truth be told, I love Legosso when Legos began taking over his bedroom and his existing shelf was overflowing with completed and 1/2 completed projects I asked Travis to cut, stain and install a 2nd much larger shelf. I realize this is one tiny corner of it, but it is functioning oh so well! I'm also over the moon happy with how the Lego Manual I created turned out.

This wee one has me at hello (remember Jerry Maguire circa 1996?) each and every morning. What is it with our last babes? I can't/won't/refuse to let her grow up!

Travis saw his surgeon for his 10 week post operative appointment February 19th. His surgeon harassed Travis that he was smuggling a golf ball in there. We laughed, but seriously this picture brings the term cankles to a whole new level!

 I'll wrap up with our little man representin' on our family date night last Friday. #PowerGen!

Embrace the Camera: January 16, 2014

I very much dislike being in front of the camera. It's not my thing but I'm vowing to do a better job of getting in the picture with my monkeys this year. My kiddos will thank me someday for it. 

iPhone photo taken on January 11th at McKenna's birthday lunch outing to Fazoli's

Me and my Boo. A momma's boy in every way! 

He told me just this week, "Momma, I know what we'll do. When I get too big for you to hold, I'll just hold you." He showers me in endless kisses and jumps into my arms, throws his legs around my waste and squeezes in tight. 

iPhone photo taken January 16th while in route to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for the Meadow Lane 3rd grade class field trip

I treasured the 3 hours today that I stole away with my #1. It isn't too often that she gets me all to herself and today she soaked up my full attention. She even cuddled into my lap on the bus ride home and drifted off as I stroked her hair. I was filled with gratitude in the moment that this beautiful girl made us a family. 

Embrace the Camera: November 14, 2013

A much anticipated stop at Schaake's Pumpkin Patch for a cup of hot cider and a pumpkin spiced donut. 

Oh my! My mouth is watering just thinking about that donut. 

My sweet tooth enjoyed every.last.bite!

We love family outing but they are always more special when Mema and/or Papa can join us in the memory making!
They make everything more fun!

Apple Butter Makin' Days

Several weeks ago (3 to be exact) the kids had Friday off of school so Travis took a personal day and we made a mini vacation of sorts out of our three day weekend. We traveled South to GG's house in Springfield. Thursday morning we drove to Mt. Vernon, Mo to experience Apple Butter Makin' Days.

What is Apple Butter Makin' Days about? 

Well ...

If you mustache {must ask - ha!} - hat purchased from the sweetest couple who made beautiful monogrammed pillow cases, hats, et al. 

It is one of Missouri's most popular festivals filled with cooking apple butter on the courtyard lawn 

Don't mind the complete stranger who swooped up Little Miss as if she was his own grandchild, talking to her and explaining the whole apple butter making process.

Rows and rows of craft and trade booths with amazing artistry, textile goods, home decor and SO much more. I'm still kicking myself for not purchasing a fun, original Halloween painted plank and an amazing coffee sack cross body purse. The above "craft" is one we all got a chuckle from. 

Face painting done affordably!

 Live entertainment AND the fOOd!!

We gorged on foot long hot dogs, pizza, corn on the cob, lemonade and of course funnel cake!

What is a festival or fair without funnel cake?
And more so, what is Apple Butter Makin' Days without leaving with a jar of fresh, sweet made Apple Butter? Yummmm!!

Aunt Shari bought the girls these cute halos made from pipe cleaners, tinsel & ribbon. Ms. G looks pretty stinkin' cute wearing it if I do say so myself. 

Stay tuned for day 2 of our fun :)

Dawson's Big Day(s)

Dawson turned SIX on September 21st. 

We spread the celebratory festivities over several days. 

Kiersten made chocolate cupcakes with frosting, sprinkles and candied Legos at his request to share with his classmates at school on Friday. They serenaded him with an upbeat birthday song I wasn't familiar with, a birthday card and a 1st reader book. 

Dawson gave me the obligatory cheese when I asked him to smile for a picture :)

This one pulls on the momma heartstrings a bit more.

Ahhhhh, my handsome devil of a sweet boy!

Evan joined us early Friday evening for supper, play time, a movie (Star Wars) & popcorn and Dawson's 1st {hosted} sleepover.

Saturday was jam packed with fun!

We played miniature golf at Smiley's with his two buddies, Evan VonMoss and Brandon Lewis.

According to Travis, D has a natural swing, but I wouldn't exactly say it showed on the putt putt course. The boys were being boys! We left Smiley's and headed to Dickinson Theatres to see the movie Planes, then had lunch, cupcakes & gift opening at McDonalds.

After Evan and Brandon's parents picked them up, our family of 5 reloaded and headed to the River Run car show in Ottawa, Kansas. The picture above was the state of our troops in route to Ottawa. One followed by the other drifted off into a deep sleep.

The car show was phenomenal and something we will absolutely attend again in years to come. The weather was beyond perfect and the cars didn't disappoint! We all wished we had more time to spend there but alas we had evening plans.

We made a super fast 5 minute pit stop back at the house to change into blue jeans, grab our sweatshirts and hit the road to Liberty to watch the William Jewel Cardinals football team with the Eaton family which consists of D's favorite teen bud, Corey. It was a wonderful evening in which our little man was spoiled and given lots of love and attention. 

Sunday morning we opted to sleep in and played hooky from church. Dawson opened his gifts from us which were a Star Wars Lego set, a Star Wars wall puzzle, refill foam darts for his Nerf guns and the Action Bible (which was immediately confiscated by his sister who <3 it="" nbsp="" p="" reading="" s="">

He has his eye on this Lego set (costs $100 gulp) so we are saving up his birthday cash & chore earning and waiting on a great sale. 

Fall School Picture

Photos courtesy of LifeTouch 

 Beautiful smiles courtesy of our Creator

Dawson Kindergarten

Fall 2013

Gabrielle 3rd grade

Fall 2013